


Sunkissed

by rainyrowan



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: California, F/M, Photography, Seattle, Wedding, beach, city, girl meets world - Freeform, gmw, rucas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-22 23:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18537391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainyrowan/pseuds/rainyrowan
Summary: Wedding of the century rolls around as the previous college clique, along with the rest of their family members, stay in preparation for it.During this time, Riley meets Lucas, a gorgeous, green-eyed wallflower who happens to be immediately taken by her.Little did she know, he has a deep secret. One that will either change her views on him forever or make her feel closer to his world.





	1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Song: Annabelle's Homework by Alec Benjamin

♡

R I L E Y

Sparkly Farkly: Did you know that the slowest marathon time ever is 54 years, eight months, six days, eight hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds? Yeah, in 1912, an Olympic marathoner from Japan supposedly disappeared during the middle of a race. Some say that he stopped to get a drink from an outdoor party, but ended up staying longer than he should have. Risque, if you ask me. Anyways, he was too embarrassed to finish the race, so he flew back to Japan instead. Years later, he decided to finish what he started by running the whole marathon himself. What I'm trying to say is WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? Riley, you're seriously taking much longer to get to the boardwalk than this Japanese marathon guy. Hurry!!

I looked at the horrifically long paragraph Farkle had sent me and sighed. Being best friends with him also meant being best friends with your very own encyclopedia, which can be extremely useful at times. Although, it really isn't when your phone is constantly being bombarded with numerous texts about everything and nothing.

Gentle reminder that I live farther from the beach than you do. I'll be there soon! Don't miss me too much :)

I quickly text back. I gripped onto my camera strap, which is draped over my shoulder, as I start quickening my pace.

When we became closer over the years, Farkle and I both created a tradition of spending almost every Saturday down at the boardwalk. In regards to this, the main rule that we've agreed upon would be that if one of us couldn't make it, we would have to have an extremely valid excuse. Me being the more "laid back" friend, I've been pretty lenient on Farkle if he couldn't make it. Wish I could say the same about him, though.

Last night, I had to stay up till two in the morning helping my mother out at the flower shop. Arranging flowers isn't as easy as one may think. In result, I woke up later than usual, causing me to be about 30 minutes late. So far, I've received a fact text from him for every minute I ran late. It truly amazes me how he could just drop these facts off the top of his head.

I'm practically already running when I see Farkle by the entrance, arms crossed.

"I'm sorry!" I pant. I take a second to breathe before I continue speaking. "I.. I woke.. Wow, I'm not cut out to be.. an athlete, huh?" I joke.

He rolls his eyes as a grin forms on his face. "Where were you?"

"I was up all night helping my mom with the flowers. I woke up super late. I'm so sorry."

He nods in approval of my excuse. "That's okay. However, I don't think we could go to the diner now. Brooklyn and her minions are there. Seated in our spots too!"

The thought of Brooklyn made me sick to my stomach. Brooklyn was the Regina George of Harbor High School, and basically all of Santa Cruz. Like your typical teen cliche, she was the popular girl who also the prettiest. Brooklyn also had her own entourage, as she always had two minions following her. With her bitchy personality, you may say that it's surprising that she gets all the guys. With her body, though, it really isn't. It's probably how she had my crush of four years and counting, Charlie Gardner, falling for her.

"Well, I guess we would have to postpone our meal then," I say, linking my arms with his. We enter the boardwalk and head straight for the arcade. We're surrounded by all the games you could never ever get tired of. From Dance Dance Revolution to laser tag to racing games, the Santa Cruz Boardwalk Casino Arcade has you covered. Farkle and I have our common favorite, air hockey.

He let go of my arm, dashing straight to the air hockey table. "You ready to get your ass beat?"

He asks, slipping in a token. We love each other very much, but when it comes to air hockey, it's like we're two different people.

"You should be asking yourself that, Minkus." As air starts to shoot through the tiny holes from the table, we both grabbed our paddles. Suddenly, the puck falls through my pocket instead of Farkle's. "Well, that's a first! I guess I'm starting."

I hit the puck as hard as I can towards his goal. Hoping that this time my first hit would make it, he blocks the puck in a swift move and smiles. "Not today." This goes on for quite a bit. I concentrate on the puck as it glides across the table back and forth. That is, until a distraction came my way. Charlie.

I offer him a double take before actually realizing that it was him. He probably didn't even notice me, which was a good thing on my part. I didn't want him to know that I was here. Out of impulsive thinking, I ducked down to hide behind my side of the table. This wasn't really the best decision, though. Farkle managed to make a goal and yell on behalf of his victory. I don't even have to see what's happening to know that attention was surely brought towards us.

"Farkle!" I call out in a whisper. He walks around the table and takes a seat next to me.

"So, explain to me why we're hiding behind- "

"Riley!" Charlie exclaims. Mortified, I lift my head up to find him standing right in front of us. 

"Hi, Charlie." I saw awkwardly. Thankfully, Farkle gets up off the ground and pulls me up, as I was too scared to even move. 

Farkle clenches is jaw subtly enough that no one could notice, except for me. It's safe to say that he never liked Charlie. I don't blame him. Most of the time, he can be a total jackass.

I'm not too sure how or why I've liked him for so long, and still currently do. I like to think it's because of the fact that I'm always seeking the best in people. I don't necessarily like making assumptions out of people based on looks or first encounters. For Charlie, I realized how much of a good person he is, deep down, whilst working on a school project with him in the public library. My father, who so happened to be my teacher, assigned both of us as partners for a project that we had to turn in a matter of three days. Within those three days, we'd head to the library at night to work, but we were never productive. All we did was talk. Well, all Charlie did was talk. About himself, of course. I would just sit and listen. It was kind of odd not taking part in the conversation, but I mostly did not mind. As a matter of fact, I remember feeling like it was for the best since I would most likely say something stupid. Plus, I got to learn more about him and who he truly was. The downside of it was that I had to take our project home and finish it myself, but I thought that it was worth it. From that moment on, I couldn't help but keep thinking about him, about us.

Charlie extends his hand out to Farkle, expecting a shake, but he steps back. "I'll wait for you outside." He tells me. No, no. Please don't leave me alone with him.

"Well, that was awkward." He laughs. "But anyways, I am so glad I caught you. I was wondering if you're free like right now? I was hoping that you could help me out with something."

Crap. As much as I would love to help him, I promised Farke that I would spend the day with him. However, as I was looking up at Charlie's mesmerizing brown eyes, I seem to have ignored that fact. "Um, sure." I squeaked. I clear my throat and try again. "What would I be helping you with exactly?"

"You see, we're doing headshots in drama, and you're kind of known to be a really talented photographer," I blush as he says so. Along with the fact that his words make me swoon, another thing about Charlie that I liked was the fact that he is a performing arts fanatic. I'm presuming that it's something that he would like to achieve in the future. He's actually really talented if I'm being honest. 

"So, would it be alright if you got a couple of portrait shots of me by the beach?" Charlie asks.

"Maybe in return, I can buy you a milkshake afterward."

Farkle is so going to kill me after this. "Er, okay."

"Great! C'mon, let's go." He starts heading towards the exit as I trail behind him. Hoping that he was the gentleman I thought he'd be, I expected him to open the door for me. Instead, he ends up leaving it to close behind him. I sigh, disappointed for getting ahead with my thoughts. Once I've exited the arcade, I immediately scan my surroundings in search for Farkle. 

"I'm here." He calls out from behind me. I turn to find him leaning against a wall. 

"You're going to hate me," I confess. 

A smirk creeps up on his face. "Not gonna lie, I was already kind of assuming."

"You're not mad?" 

"No," Farkle says softly. "I still hate that bastard, though. But I mean if you like him that much-" 

I pull him into a hug. "Thank you," I whisper. 

"Yeah, okay." He wraps his arms around my back and chuckles lightly. 

"Riley?" Charlie yells.

I pull away from Farkle and adjust my outfit. This would technically be the first time I get to hang out with Charlie alone, so I obviously want to look presentable. However, that's clearly not the case since I'm currently in my maroon Harvard sweater that Farkle had actually bought me from when he visited last year, along with a pair of faded ripped jeans. 

"Do I look okay?" I ask.

He holds two thumbs up. "Can't say no to a girl in Ivy League gear."

"I love you, and thanks a bunch!" I plant a quick kiss on his cheek before running towards Charlie. 

Once I've caught up to him, we both head to the beach together. 

I truly do love the beach. I love the ambiance of waves crashing against the shore, along with the wailing of seagulls as they soar across the sky. Not to mention, the smell of the ocean beach as well. Everything about the beach is so captivating and peaceful, especially since it's a little early and not a lot of people are here. The afternoon is the absolute worst time to visit the beach. The fact that there are so many people who usually come on a day to day basis, makes me a little anxious to go. 

Charlie leads me to where the dock is located. Farkle and I would usually come to take pictures underneath the dock. This area is quite aesthetically pleasing. 

"I think this is a great spot." He says, placing his bag down as I begin to adjust the settings of my camera. I let him know that I'm ready once everything's all set. Charlie then runs towards the shoreline and starts posing of a shot. Since I'll be capturing portrait shots, I made sure that my camera is set so all my photos can have a shallow depth of field. This way, Charlie will be in focus as the background will be a bit blurry. After taking a few photos here and there, I stop to look at them. Charlie was perfectly centered, the lighting was on point, and all shots have great composition. Perfect. I think to myself. However, Charlie apparently doesn't exactly think so when he sees them. 

"Yeah, this situation just isn't working for me. Let's try something different." He looks around for a moment. "Here, why don't you get some bird-eye shots of me laying on the sand." 

I was a little offended that he didn't like the photos I originally took. I spoke out, irritated. "I thought we were taking portraits?"

"I'm just trying to think outside of the box here, Riles. Maybe the photos will turn out better." I scoff at what he had just said. What difference does it make? You're just going to be lying down. And I thought all headshots were portraits. There he goes acting like a douche, but here I am, still taking interest in him. 

Charlie lies down on the sand and places his hand behind his head. From the looks of it, he could pass for a Hollister or Abercombie & Fitch model. I stand directly on top of him to get good shots. If I'm being honest, this isn't the ideal position I'd want to be in. It's a little uncomfortable and weird, really. 

Suddenly, water hits the shore and Charlie attempts to save his khaki pants by jerking straight up. Instead, jerking straight up somehow caused me to tumble forward, allowing both of us to fall back down. I also end up dropping my camera on the sand. Water continues to run beneath Charlie, which caused his whole outfit to be soaked. "Shit!" 

The water still kept going around us. I panic as I watch it slowly ooze towards my camera. Miraculously, the water stopped before it could reach it. I graciously let out a sigh of relief. "Will you get the fuck off of me now?!" He yells in annoyance. I flinched when he does so and realize that what was happening: I was on top of Charlie Gardener. Because I was on top of him, I didn't get hit by the water at all. I quickly scurried to my feet and grabbed my camera. I turned to Charlie, who was still really angry that he was drenched. He got up from the ground and gathered his stuff. "Thanks to you," He snaps. "I am soaking wet, and I have rehearsals for the musical after this!"

I feel a familiar tightness gripping my throat. As Charlie continues to curse at me, a burning heat rushes through my body and I can hardly breathe. The DJ over by the boardwalk starts blasting music that seems to be ten times louder than usual. My surroundings then become too horrifically bright. My hands become clammy as I start to lose control of my body. My vision starts to get blurry and my heartbeat begins to speed up to the point where I could hear it. 

Once Charlie finishes grabbing his stuff, he walks over to me. He stops and takes a deep breath. "Just email me the photos whenever you can." And with that, he walks away. When I've lost sight of him, I walk towards the pebbles near the ocean. I stare out to sea, trying to take big breaths. I stay until I've finally coaxed my heartbeat back to normal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding of the century rolls around as the previous college clique, along with the rest of their family members, stay in preparation for it.   
> During this time, Riley meets Lucas, a gorgeous, green-eyed wallflower who happens to be immediately taken by her.   
> Little did she know, he has a deep secret. One that will either change her views on him forever or make her feel closer to his world.

Song: Troublemaker by Olly Murs (Ft. Flo Rida)

♡

L U C A S

"Please stop!" I pleaded. As much as I've begged for him to stop, he wouldn't. He kept going.

He began walking towards my mother. Her eyes were filled with so much sorrow and fear that it was too painful for me to even look at her. She quickly scurries over to me. "Lucas, listen to me. You need to leave, okay? Aubrey is in the basement downstairs. Take her with you and go as far away from here as you can." She whispers, but he then grabs her from behind and pushes her up against the wall.

I couldn't bear to see him do this. Again. "STOP HURTING HER!" I yell. He turns around and stares at me with his bloodshot eyes. In that very moment, I was ready for whatever would happen next. He lets out a drunken chuckle before taking a swing at me.

Like always, he doesn't stop. He only kept going.

Punch.

Kick.

Hit.

"No," I whimpered. I couldn't take him. I was too weak."No..."

\- 

"NO!" I suddenly jerk up, panting. I feel the sweat dripping down from my forehead. "Just a dream," I whisper to myself repeatedly. The same dream I've been getting for the longest time.

I glance over at my clock. Too early. I graciously plopped back down and wrapped myself in my covers.

I think I had a good ten minutes before someone came knocking on my door.

"Lucas," a voice from behind it says softly. Knowing who it is and why I'm being awakened so early, I ignore it.

"Hey, buddy. It's six-thirty, we've got a flight to catch." I feel a hand rub my back, but I still continue to ignore. "Fine! If this is how you want it-" All of a sudden, I hear footsteps skid across my floor before a crushing weight falls on top of my chest.

"Ow!" I cry as my eyes flung open to see my Aunt Rachel seated on top of me. What a goof.

"You know, that really wasn't necessary!" I say looking up at her.

"Um, it really was! I've been trying to wake you up three times already." She exclaims, getting off.

We're supposed to fly to California today in preparation for my Aunt Rachel and Uncle Jack's wedding. It's safe to say that Aunt Rachel is very, very excited. Apparently, they're hiring these two wedding planners, who were their close friends from college, to help them plan and run everything. However, their timing isn't really the best. Due to Uncle Jack's schedule complications, they had to move the wedding earlier than anticipated. Earlier as at the end of this week. How they're going to plan this whole ceremony in one week, I don't know. But, I'm quite certain that with Aunt Rachel around, they can surely do it. She's always been a believer of the fact that if you really put your mind to something, you can accomplish it. And she has. I've seen her done miraculous things with this mindset. She's someone I surely look up to.

I finally find all the strength to pull myself out of bed. "Is Aubrey ready?" I ask.

"Yes, sir. As a matter of fact, we all are. So, if you don't hurry, I will literally beat your ass!" She jokes, leaving my room. I let out a chuckle as she shuts the door behind her. She may be my aunt, but she treats me like a little brother on a day to day basis.

I quickly peel off my sleepwear and put on a pair of jeans, along with a black hoodie. I then grab my stuff before leaving the room.

The smell of freshly cooked bacon and eggs greeted me as I entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, Lucas! Your food's right over there." Uncle Jack points over to the plate next to my little sister, who is currently inhaling her breakfast. I laugh at the sight. Can't blame her, though. Uncle Jack never fails to delight our taste buds.

"Hi, Aubrey," I say, setting my bags down and taking a seat next to her. Still chewing, she smiles up at me in response.

I dig into my delicious meal as Uncle Jack sits in front of me. "You know, you didn't have to make us breakfast. We could've grabbed Starbucks at the airport or something."

"Well, I just-"

Out of nowhere, Aunt Rachel storms into the kitchen, picking up all our stuff. "Okay! I'll be bringing our bags downstairs since the cab will be arriving any minute now. Hurry up and finish your food! We don't have all day, so chop chop!" She yells. Before I could even offer any help, she's already out the door.

"As I was saying, I feel bad for leaving you two with all that craziness." Uncle Jack jokes. I let out a soft chuckle.

Uncle Jack mentioned something about this huge conference going on for his company, which takes place this week. So, he won't be coming to California until two days before the wedding. He really tried getting out of it, but it just impossible. I felt bad for him, of course, but all I could really think about is how on earth are we all going to survive this crazy week.

Aunt Rachel pokes her head into the apartment door. "Cab's here!" Uncle Jack quickly dashes over to her and grabs her arm. He spins her around so she's facing him, then plants a kiss on her lips. Smooth.

"You think I'd let you leave without saying goodbye?"She gushes.

"I guess it'd be a little out of character of you if you did."

"I'll miss you," He whispers, pulling her into a hug. "Take care."

"You too." She pulls away and kisses him once again. They're honestly so perfect for one another. Why didn't get married sooner?

Uncle Jack then picks up Aubrey and showers her with my more kisses. "You have fun, my little princess." It means the world to me that he loves her, loves us, this much. From the very first day we moved in with them, Uncle Jack, in particular, seemed far more understanding of our situation.

"And you," He turns to me. "I know how you are with others." I already know where this is going.

"Look, the people you're about to visit- They're our family. They mean more to us than anyone would ever know. Please don't push them away, shut yourself out, or anything else along those lines. They're special, so I expect you to keep an open mind throughout this trip, alright?"

He's not in the wrong for saying all this. Past experiences have allowed me to disconnect from the world, even with the people around me. I just find it so hard to trust people. Only ones I've ever really trust are them. They were my only family after all.

I purse my lips, offering him a slight nod.

"Good." He says, pulling me into a hug. He pats my back before letting go.

"Alright, I don't want to keep you guys for too long." Uncle Jack smiles. "So, take care."

Once we've all said our goodbyes once again, we finally head out the building and into the taxicab that had been waiting for us. Aunt Rachel gives the address to the driver before we head straight to the airport.

\- - -

California isn't really that far from Seattle, which is pretty convenient on my end because Aubrey absolutely hates plane rides. She threw a massive tantrum at first, but I managed to tame it. I spent the whole two hours of the flight trying to calm her down but cradling her in my arms whilst telling her multiple stories. Nothing too bad.

Once we exited the gate, a woman instantly spots us and starts running towards us. Aunt Rachel dropped her bags and ran towards her as well.

"Angela!" She exclaims, pulling her into an embrace.

"How are you, sweetheart? What have you been up to?"

"The usual. Oh, no big deal, but I also got engaged!" She pulls away to show off her hand with the engagement ring Uncle Jack gave her. They both squealed.

Angela then turns to smiles at me. "You must be the infamous Lucas Friar. I've heard a lot about you." Great. Someone else who knows about my awful past. She pulls me into a hug as I shoot Aunt Rachel a despising glare. "Sorry!" She mouths silently.

"Infamous, I am," I mumble, pulling away. I already hate this.

Angela turns to Aubrey in awe. "Oh! Who might you be, you gorgeous one?"

"My name is Aubrey." She says sweetly. Angela places her hands over her chest, turning to Aunt Rachel. "She's adorable!"

Aunt Rachel smirks. "Takes after me, obviously!"

"Well, we better get going. Cory and Topanga are really excited to see you." Angela says. She offers to carry Aubrey's stuff as we walk out of the airport and into the parking lot.

"Oh my gosh. I miss them so much," Aunt Rachel beamed, getting into Angela's minivan. "How are they?"

Sticking the key in the ignition, Angela laughs. "They're doing great. And Riley, oh my goodness! She's growing up to be an absolutely beautiful woman."

"You're kidding?! Last time I saw her, she was only a little baby!" Aunt Rachel gasped.

"It can't be that long! She's practically running the flower shop!"

"Who's Riley?" Aubrey asks out of curiosity.

"Honey, Riley is the daughter our friends," Aunt Rachel explains.

Angela turns to look at me. "Yeah, and she's about Lucas' age." She winks. Everyone in the car giggles. I silently roll my eyes.

The last thing I need is to have a thing with some California girl that I would probably never see again after this trip.

\- - -

One thing that I worried about before this trip was how much I'd miss the city. I was pretty much born and raised there. I've never really gone anywhere else. Although, I have to admit- The drive to Cory and Topanga's, made me realize that it wouldn't be much on an issue. Apparently, they live alongside the beach, so the drive only consisted of beautiful beach scenery.

I focus on the clear blue water glistening as a handful of children run around the shoreline, ready to jump into the water. Other kids would stick around the far end to build sandcastles. Aubrey would surely have fun. I thought, planning to take her as soon as we've settled in.

As we drove closer and closer to the beach, I also happen to spot a ton of girls. I don't really think that much of them. As a matter of fact, I try my very best to avoid them as much as possible. Back in the city, a lot of them would practically throw themselves at me. Sometimes I wonder if they've still got their dignity or if they even had it in the first place.

Most girls here on the beach were either sunbathing or taking photos. Although, there was one who caught my eye. She obviously stood out since she was doing neither of those things. Even though we were close enough to where I could still get a good look at her, I couldn't capture a glimpse of her face.

Unlike the others, she was sitting on a rock by the shoreline. She had on a maroon sweater as her long brown curls flowed behind her. She was staring off into the ocean. She also had a camera by her side. Probably a photographer. I think to myself.

We finally pull up in front of what seems to be a flower shop called The Floral Boutique. According to Aunt Rachel, The Floral Boutique is a family business which is currently run by Topanga.

My eyes then fixate over to Ever After, a bridal shop which looks like it's connected to The Floral Boutique. From what I've heard, both Angela and Topanga co-own this business together. Topanga must be some kick-ass woman for being involved with two businesses.

With our bags, we all walk into The Floral Boutique. Behind the counter, a man looks up at us with a smile. "Well, I'll be damned!" He exclaims.

"Cory!" Aunt Rachel yells, offering him a hug. "This is my niece, Aubrey, and my nephew, Lucas."

He bends down to shake Aubrey's hand. "Nice to meet you, sweetheart!"

His gaze then leads to me. Cory stands up and folds his arms. "What are you, like 20?" He asks.

"No, sir." I laugh. "I'm 17."

Cory gasps."BOYZ!"

I tilt my head in confusion as he brings his face closer to mine. "What are you doing?" I mumble.

"Just examining your facial structure," He answers casually. Once he steps back he turns to my aunt. "He's too perfect! He shall remain five feet away from my daughter at all times." Riley.

Angela scoffs. "Don't even, Cory."

"Yeah," Aunt Rachel says. "Lucas is a wonderful guy."

I press my lips together. I don't know why everyone's insisting on anything, rather, why we're even talking about this. I truly have no desire to start something up with anyone this week.

"Rachel?" Someone calls out from the back room. All eyes fall on her as she approaches us.

"Oh my god. Topanga." Aunt Rachel says with a smile.

Based on appearance, I could already tell that she is a bad-ass woman. She just seems so... Strong. Like a fierce Amazon warrior type.

After a few short minutes of rekindling with one another and greeting Aubrey for the first time, she turns to me. I've never really met her, at least I don't think I have. About ready to introduce myself, she stops me.

"You're Lucas Friar."

"We've met?" I asked.

"Well, you probably don't remember me," She pauses. "But, yeah. We have. A long time ago, though. You were probably about this tall." Topanga levels her hand by her hip. Then her eyes fall on me once again. "I know all about you," She says casually. Okay, so does everyone know about me?! I slightly clench my jaw, planning on making a comment on that fact. However, Topanga speaks before I could.

"You're really brave." She smiles before walking back to everyone else. No one's ever told me that before. Because I've had such a horrible past, no one seems to want to fully acknowledge anything about it. If they do, it would usually be more of a negative remark, which is why I definitely preferred it being that way. Although, I do feel just slightly better about myself after hearing Topanga's comment.

Everyone follows her and Angela as they offer to give us a tour of both shops. I quietly tap Aunt Rachel on the shoulder.

"Hey, is it okay if I head off for a bit?" I ask.

"What? Lucas-"

"Please, I want to go explore the beach." I plead.

"Well, alright." She says hesitantly.

I subsequently slip away from everyone and head out of the shop. The scent of saltwater lingers through the air, which evidently brings a smile to my face as I make my way down to the shore.

As I was walking, I glance at three girls who were staring at me, giggling. Not wanting to have to deal with any more of that, I throw my hood on and hang my head down. I continued to walk like this whilst my peripheral vision focuses on the sand beneath me. This goes on for a bit before I bump into someone. I look up and I couldn't believe my eyes.

It was her.

The girl in the maroon hoodie. Well, now looking at it, a Harvard hoodie. She was standing right in front of me.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She apologizes.

For a moment, I am unable to breathe. Instead of responding as a normal person would, I just looked at her. My gaze fell upon her chocolate brown eyes, that I surprisingly found quite mesmerizing. This can't be happening. Snap out of it, Lucas. I shake my head.

"It's okay," I mumble before heading off. For some reason, I still felt her stare. I had a feeling she was still watching me. I kept walking long enough so that when I turned around to look back at her, she was already heading her way.

What just happened?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding of the century rolls around as the previous college clique, along with the rest of their family members, stay in preparation for it.   
> During this time, Riley meets Lucas, a gorgeous, green-eyed wallflower who happens to be immediately taken by her.   
> Little did she know, he has a deep secret. One that will either change her views on him forever or make her feel closer to his world.

Song: Stop and Stare by OneRepublic

♡

R I L E Y 

For most girls, coming home to your mother posing by the stairwell in a wedding dress as your father and her best friend are adjusting the fabric beneath her isn't typically, well, normal. However, it's the norm on my end. 

"Hi honey," Topanga greets as I come into the front door. "What do you think of the dress?" She asks, dramatically leaning against the banister, allowing her ombre curls to cascade over her face. The dress is pretty simple compared to all the other ones that she has tried on for her previous clients. This dress is made up of white satin and it's off the shoulder too. It also has little laced flowers at the bottom, which I thought was pretty cute. I genuinely think it's beautiful, but I'm still shaken up that I just nod silently.

A satisfied smile creeps upon her face. "Good. Well, it's Rachel's."

"Oh, she's here?"

"She's at my place, Babygirl," Angela speaks. "Her, Aubrey, and Lucas should be settling in."

"Who's Aubrey and Lucas?" I ask.

"Aubrey's her niece and Lucas is the nephew." Topanga answers.

Dad jerks up and points a finger at me. "You are to stay away from Lucas, ya hear me?!"

Angela rolls her eyes. "Cut it out, Cor. Your father is joking. You should meet them." She then turns to my dad. "Both of them."

"Sure. I really don't mind. I'll meet them when I get the chance." I shrug. "But for now, I'll head up to my room."

They all nod at me before I quickly start climbing up the flight of stairs. Our house only has three rooms, which makes two reserved for my parents and my not-so-little brother, Auggie. The last room would be the office that my parents have always wanted. This leaves me the attic. Although, I'm really not complaining or anything. As a matter of fact, with the help of Farkle, I was able to decorate my relatively large area just the way I want it. Only cons would be that I have to climb an extra flight of stairs and I don't have a door. My room's basically a loft, but I love it.

Just as I was about to head into my room, I decided to make a slight detour to Auggie's. I poke my head into the slightly closed door to find him locking lips with his girlfriend of apparently seven years, Ava. I roll my eyes at the sight. Just as I was about to shut the door, giving them privacy, he pulls away from her and turns to me. "You perv." He sneers.

"Hi, Riley," Ava says, embarrassed.

I smile at her. "Hey."

"Can you just leave us be?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Oh, whatever happened to my sweet little boy? He's all grown up now.

"My dear brother, if you would like some privacy, I think you should really use this to your advantage." I sway the door back and forth.

"Whatever." He offers me a smirk.

"Just keep this shut and don't do anything you'll regret!" I exclaim, walking away.

Once I've reached my room, I plop onto my bed. I lied there for a few moments, just pondering about everything that has happened today. I've embarrassed myself once again and now Charlie's mad at me. I groan and the thought. I sit up, glancing at my phone beside me. I impulsively click on Farkle's contact and shoot him a text. 

Hey, where are you right now?

Lucky for me, Farkle's pretty quick when it comes to responding to my messages.

Sparkly Farkly: I'm home. Why?

Are you busy? Can you come over? I kind of need you.

Sparkly Farkly: Give me 2 minutes. I'll be there.

I graciously sighed in relief. Having your best friend be your next door neighbor can be more convenient than you think. I look up at my mirror, which sits on top of my dresser. I sigh as I stare at my reflection. Ugh. I pretty much sigh every time I see myself in the mirror. Look at the mirror-- sigh. Look at the mirror-- sigh. It has become an impressive reflex throughout the years, honestly. Today, I sigh at my brown curls. How can Charlie still look adoringly handsome when the sea breeze messes up his hair? And when that happens to me, why do I look like I've just rolled out of bed? I pick up my brush and comb through my curls. Moments later, I hear a soft knock on my door. "Come in," I say. 

Farkle opens the door and I smile at him. Well, I smile at him to the point where tears start to slightly form in my eyes. "Not again," He whispers before pulling me into his arms. I sob uncontrollably into his shirt, which I used to feel really bad doing, especially since I wear mascara on a day to day basis. Even on my worst days, but it's not like I know when I'm going to have one anyways. Today, I fortunately do not have any makeup on.

"What happened?" He asks me. 

I pull away, wiping my tears. "I had a panic attack, Farkle."

He tenses up. "Is it because of Charlie? What did he do?" 

I sob as I explain what had happened, hoping that he could even understand what I was even saying. Moments like these, I feel like I tend to overreact on the littlest of things. Farkle says it's fine and that I should just let everything out, instead of bottling anything in, regardless if it's anything major or not. He's truly a good friend for willing to hear me out and staying patient with me. 

"I just don't understand why I fall into these things. I understand what I'm getting myself into, but it's like I just ignore the consequences." I rant, finally cooling down.

"It's okay, Riley. It happens," He responds. "You just need to remember that there are certain things that are out of your control and you can't dwell on that."

"Have you met me, though?" We both laugh. It's true. I seem to always be filled with so much regret. 

"The best thing that you can do is move on. As a matter of fact, we can do that right now!" Farkle retrieves his backpack that I hardly even noticed he brought. "Movie night?"

I let out a sigh and smile at him. Move on. I think to myself. "Depends... What movie?"

"I was thinking Funny Face." He suggests.

"Of course! How can I say no to an Audrey Hepburn film?" I exclaim. "I'll get the ice cream." 

Moments later, we're snuggled up in my blanket on the floor. Farkle's laptop is placed right in front of us as we watch the movie and simultaneously stuff our faces with chocolate ice cream. This pretty much sums up my ideal perfect night. 

Funny Face clearly is one of my favorite movies of all time. We beam over how dreamy Paris is, how Audrey's costumes look breathtaking in the film, and Farkle and I even got to dance along to the musical sequences that would come up. It was all laughter and fun for a bit, but as the night came along, it all had to be put to an end. Once the movie ended, Farkle gets a call from his mom telling him that it was time to go home. 

"I gotta go." He mumbles. 

I frowned. "Aw, can't stay longer?"

"I wish I could," Farkle hangs his head down. "I'd rather be here than at home anyways." I pull him into an embrace. Lately, there's been this odd shift going on between his parents' relationship, thus affecting Farkle. Constant fighting would occur almost every single day and he unfortunately has to always witness. At times, he would sneak out to our place and stay for a bit. There was this one time that he actually stayed a whole week! Things must be pretty heated between the two if they weren't able to notice that their son was gone for that long. 

"It'll be okay," I whisper as we both pull away. "Maybe I can see you tomorrow. You can help out with the wedding." 

"Can't. My dad's taking me to Stanford tomorrow."

"Oh, wow! That's like your dream school!"

"Yeah, he's been planning a campus tour for months." He shrugs like it was no big deal at all. Me being the best friend, I can tell that he's secretly very excited. 

"I hope you have fun." 

"Thanks. Well, I better get going." He offers me one last squeeze before heading out. I honestly would've sent him out, but I was way too beat. I decided to call it a day and fall right into bed hoping that tomorrow will do me good.

\- - - 

 

The next day, I woke up bright and early just as my mother told me to do so. I quickly got ready by doing my usual morning routine: Brush my teeth, shower, get dressed, and curl my hair. Today, I decided to throw on a rose-patterned sundress along with my favorite white cardigan that my mom had given me. It's kind of like a protection shield if you ask me. When I'm in trouble and I have this on, it's like Topanga's there with me, which obviously makes me feel safe. 

I slip on a pair of brown sandals before grabbing my camera, thinking that they might want some photos of the whole set up process. I sling the leash over my shoulder and climbed down the stairs. As I was heading down, I was instantly greeted by the smell of my mother's famous Blueberry Surprise Breakfast, a personal favorite. Topanga would either prepare blueberry flavored pancakes, waffles, or bagels. Today, it was the waffles. 

"Good morning, honey! Thank you so much for waking up early. Your father and Auggie are still sound asleep, so we'll probably meet them at the venue later in the day," She explains, stuffing a waffle inside a ziplock bag and handing it to me. "Meanwhile, you and I need to head over there right now. So, eat this on the drive." 

I take the bag and nod. "Alrighty." 

We both then head straight for the door. "Nice cardigan, by the way." She jokes. 

"Yeah, the person who gave it to me truly has a great sense of style." I giggle. 

\- - - 

On the way, Topanga pretty much explains everything I need to know: The wedding ceremony will take place down by the beach. Right afterwards, everyone will walk over to this grand hotel, which luckily is walking distance from where they're at. There, the reception will take place. I can already tell that most of Angela and Topanga's magic will be manifested into this part of the evening. 

Once we arrived, we were immediately greeted at the sight of Angela scurrying around. Spotting us, she waves. "Oh good, you're here!" 

"Indeed I am!" Topanga beams.

Angela then grabs both of our arms and drag us into the wedding suite. "I know we only started yesterday, but I feel like all of it's already coming together! I can't wait for you two to see it." When we step inside, I hear myself gasped louder than ever before. 

"Wow, it's amazing."

Tables and chairs were already set up where they're supposed to be, just awaiting its silk fabrics that they need to be covered in and the centerpieces, which I hopefully get to be in charge of. Fairy lights were also hung up everywhere, which makes the place look incredibly magical. Even though there is still so much that needs to be done, the place already looks pretty nice. I can best assure that once the extra decor is set into its place, everything would turn out phenomenal. 

Suddenly, a tall red-headed lady approaches us with a smile. "Topanga!" She exclaims, giving my mother a hug. "I am so glad that you're here!"

"As am I! I can't believe this all finally happening," She says, looking around the room in amazement just as I did. She then turns to me. "Oh, Riley, this is Rachel. You probably don't remember her but trust me, she definitely was a big part of your childhood." Topanga chuckles. And so I've heard. Both my parents have told me about how Rachel would take care of me as a baby. From hearing all the stories, I thought she was pretty darn cool.

"Hi," I greet as politely as I possibly can. 

Rachel cups her hands over her mouth. "Oh my gosh, Angela was right! You're growing up such a beautiful little lady, I hardly even recognized you." She instantly pulls me into a bear hug and rocks me back and forth. 

"Alright, so my itinerary says that we have a meeting with catering soon." Topanga interrupts, bringing us back on track. 

"Correct. The head chef is waiting for us in the kitchen." Rachel says. 

"Yes, and we need to start testing out audio/visual, so Riley, if you could head on over to the storage room and fetch a couple microphones that'd be fantastic." Angela requests. 

"Oh, sure. But where exactly is-" 

"Thank you, sweetie!" She exclaims before the three of them head towards the kitchen. Well, alrighty then. I think to myself. Guess I need to find the storage room myself. 

Before I do so, though, I take a few photographs here and there. I then scan the room in search for the storage room, but failed to spot it. It must be outside then.

I exit the wedding suite and make my way down the hotel's hallway, hoping to find an employee that could help me out. 

As I was walking, I suddenly hear a soft melody playing from one of the rooms. Intrigued, I decided to investigate. I let myself into what seemed to be an awfully dark room. I could still see, but just barely. Barely enough to realize that I am currently inside a theater. Foldable chairs were placed all over the room and right up ahead was a small stage. I figured that one hit wonders or old artists would perform here. 

The sound was coming from the far end of the stage. I walk ever so quietly so whoever it may be won't see me. The closer I got to the stage, the louder the sound becomes. Next thing you know, I hear a voice. A guy's voice. He was humming along to the tune that he was playing, which was very, very beautiful. I then see him. A boy, who looked around my age, was sitting crossed-legged on the very back corner of the stage. He was surrounded by a ton of music equipment, so I couldn't really get a good look at his face. However, I could still see him delicately plucking the strings of his guitar whilst slightly swaying back and forth. I was wonderstruck at the sight. Everything about the guy seemed so intriguing and mysterious, yet familiar. I scratch my head at the thought. 

Why does he look familiar?

I pulled out my camera and zoomed in, thinking that I could probably get a good look at him this way. For a split second, I saw him. But to my horror, I accidentally press the shutter-release button and the sound my camera makes stops him from playing. Shit. 

He turns around and looks off into the room. "Hello? Who's there?" 

Maybe if I slowly tip-toed towards the door, he won't notice. But I could never. The door was too far away, and besides, he'd probably see me leave. I take a deep breath before revealing myself. I slowly merge from the darkness, and wait- I remember him! He was the guy I ran into at the beach yesterday. 

His emerald green eyes, ones that have looked into mine before, widened at the sight of me. He remembers me. 

"Who let you in? And why were you taking photos of me?" He asks in a slightly stern tone. 

"I-I'm so sorry. Uh- I really didn't mean to. I-I-" I stutter anxiously. I take a second to stop myself from committing another act of embarrassment. "Look. I'm taking photos for the wedding that's happening here," I partially lie. I technically am taking the photos, but I'm more so on my quest to find the storage room. "How did you get in, I should ask. Are you the wedding singer?" 

The boy raises an eyebrow. "Am I the wedding singer?" 

"Yeah, are you practicing?" I start to slowly move towards him. "Because if so, I wouldn't do that song if I were you."

"And why not?" 

"Because," I say looking right up at him. God, his eyes are so mesmerizing. "Because it sounds so sad." 

He doesn't speak. Instead, he stares at me as if I was an alien from another planet. I begin to endure this familiar sinking feeling that I've become very much familiar with, especially from Charlie. I realize that I should probably leave before I start becoming even more anxious than I already am. "Well, it was nice meeting you. Good luck at the wedding." I say with burning cheeks and I turn to go.


End file.
